Torrent of immigration heading to Germany

Germany is facing its biggest wave of immigration in decades, according to a new study. Some 2.2 million new arrivals are expected by 2017, as people flee the crisis-hit countries of southern Europe.

The latest edition of business monthly Manager Magazin reported this week that young people are expected to abandon their homelands in countries like Greece, Spain and Portugal in droves to look for work in robust Germany.

Although researchers from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy predict a stabilization of southern European economies, poor growth is likely to leave unemployment high over the next five years. For the almost 40 percent of young Europeans currently out of work, Germany - with its apparently bullet-proof economy and regional labour shortages - looks set to prove an almost irresistible magnet.

Signs of this movement are already being felt: 2012 saw the country's population rise by 289,000. In 2014, net immigration is likely to hit 506,000.

The new wave of immigrants could even at least temporarily halt Germany's expected demographic decline, as the country's low birthrate causes the indigenous population to shrink dramatically in the coming decades.

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I guess this article is supposed to spark a 'there goes the neighbourhood' discussion. Well, in my opinion it is the Greeks, Spanish and Portugese neighbourhoods that will suffer and the German ones which will benefit. Sorry that Merkeyl's EU policy is going to disrupt family life in these warm friendly communities. Shame on you Angie!

Well I'm from Portugal and here I am in Germany... Though I have been living abroad for 12 years now, moved here from Dublin. When I left I left by choice and not necessity. It is not so now for many of my country men who see no other option than to emigrate or live in poverty.

It should come as no surprise. The EU is one big trading zone with out National borders due to the Schengen area agreement of 1985. If you reside in this area you can move around similar to the USA. Except the USA is one country with the same language and federal laws.

This will become a problem for the economic superior nations as the have nots can and will migrate to nations where they have a better future.

Maybe this will bring about an end to nationalism and a true united Europe under one authority will result, think?

Yes, that and I think Nationalism is very strong here, it would not surprise me if Germany opted out of the EU in the future , especially if the ranks of the economice weaker countries keeps rising and the immigrants keep increasing.

Yes, possible Raandy. That would be to Germany's detriment and everyone else's benefit. The rest of the EU would benefit from a weaker Euro after Germany's departure and German exports would suffer with a strong DM again. One can dream, one can dream. However the Germans are well renound for liking their bread buttered on both sides.

Because of the manipulation of rules by the leaders, these countries that should really not be members, are allowed free access. It is because of an ideological fixation among EU leaders in Brussels, that they have become a giant and unwieldy megalith with different financial structures and when they find that it it does not work and they have a problem, they patch it up again, like sticking endless patches on a bicycle tyre that needs replacing!

When the E.U. "powerhouse "forces other countries to use harsh austerity measures then what did they expect to happen ?,

If we start a program of growth in the E.U. then people would not need to leave their homes and families unless they choose to do so.

@raandy it will not see the end of nationalism more likely a rise,and "a true united Europe under one authority will result, think?" yes think who would be the "one " a very dangerous course to embark upon .

"forces other countries""Program of growth ?" Oh Yeah !! A kind of a Marshall Plan Englishted?

If money would help, Greece would already plated with gold. Greece got before the currency crisis aid from the European Union since its accession in 1981, aids in the amount of 150 percent of the national product.

According to the EU Commission were sent to Greece from 1981 to 2006 around 52 billion euros from the EU Structural Funds. In the current financial period to 2013, Greece will receive EUR 20.6 billion - 4.9 billion of them are retrieved so far.

All the Marshall Plan for Germany, from which some always talks,amounted to four percent of the national product.Ie,the Greeks were get almost 35 times,nearly 40 times the German Marshall Plan.

I dont think any European country is really culturally and psychologically ready for mass immigration. The only people who support this kind of policy are the industrialists who stand to profit from it, and they are the ones who can move to wherever they want if they don't like the neighborhood. As long as people hold dissimilar values, there will be problems and we could well see the formation of ghettos and states within states given time. Look at the Balkans.

Having seen that interesting link (thank you ) ,now I would like to hear you answer to the problem rather than criticism of growth do you think harsher austerity measures help ?.

The German growth of the 50/60s was the result of Marshall aid but also a general acceptance that hard work and working together would make things better ,that has been replaced by a self first mentality that stops collective answers to problems and lines the pockets of the haves at the cost of the have nots.

First you wrote;"When the E.U. "powerhouse "forces other countries to use harsh austerity measures then what did they expect to happen?"If you meant Germany?Germany just ask the same questions and demand what the IMF,EU Comission and the Europ.Centralbank are asking for.

And that means in other words,stuff the holes in the buckets first before filling new water in it. First they should establish a Administration wich is corruption-resistant as possible,trustworthy,streamlined and effectiv.Contracts,rules,laws and regulations must be to adhere and observed.

Southern Countries like to see rules as a central point for negotiationns and try to avoid consequences.Can`t work in the long run.

Germany supports the idea that European Countries aspire to a higher standard of living,it prevents conflicts and improves the preservation of human rights.And we were also prepared to pay a price for it,but on the other hand we ourselves have a very high public debt.

If international Banks do not trust these countries,why should german taxpayers take the risk and burden?

Why do I have to read in 2012 for example;"Greece has not implemented according to a newspaper report, at least two-thirds of the savings targets.Accordingly, the Greek government has not met 210 of 300 savings targets."According to calculations of the non-governmental organization Global Financial Integrity flowed alone from 2003 to 2011 from $ 261 billion in illicit funds out of the country. The money is the proceeds of crime, corruption and tax evasion, said Raymond Baker, head of the organization, told SPIEGEL.On the other hand in the years 2010 and 2011 also flowed into illegal funding of nearly 200 billion euros to Greece.

I agree with many of your points ,corruption seems to be endemic how to stop it? I don't think Germany or the E.U. can " establish a Administration" in a sovereign nation.

The problem this article highlights is that "normal" people who want to work (or why would they come here?) are leaving their homelands because of austerity ,the German tax payers are going to foot the bill alone in a increase in the social security that many of the new arrivals will be entitled to claim .

What I am saying we are caught between two stools ,help them there or help them here ,I have seen the affects of mass immigration has had in the U.K. overstretching housing,hospitals schools and basically the whole infrastructure of the country the eventual results will be I am saddened to say well may be a rise of extreme nationalism a bad thing for us all.

I'll start with the last paragraph.When I see the citizens on the streets of London,it doesn`t looks like an european City anymore.But that was more of a decision of the British government then the EU.

I fear the same for Germany,this comming Year Romania and Bulgaria get the right to work and live in the old EU Countries.And especially with 9 open borders and permanent refugees from the Middle East and Africa,anger is inevitable.

Following the successful integration of the GDR,Germany had the integration of Eastern neighbors as new EU members in the focus and support their political and economical stability.Ironically that precisely some of the older EU members destabilize the EU.

2nd paragraph,People leave their homeland mostly for political,religious,economic reasons.And when a country is broke and can not provide opportunities for foreseeable improvement.The British and Germans have had the same experience as well as others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20187325

Take Sweden as a example,Sweden had the early 90s, high government debt and a large budget deficit. Meanwhile, the State achieved even surpluses.And Estonia,Letvia,Irland and Iceland are on the right way.So I would not say,"leaving their homelands because of austerity."Moreover, it is difficult to predict whether the new migrants will stay forever.End of the eighties, many Greek, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese,Yugoslav migrant workers went home again,as the standard of living improved in these countries.Homesickness,enough money on the Bank account and the missing of the warmer climate gave enough reasons to went home.On the other Hand Travelflights are differrent today cheap,easy and everywhere.Hard to predict.

@Raandy, the US is not a country with just one language, nor the same with federal laws. They may be considered federal, but there are plenty of states of the US with their own specific laws that either supercede or basically negate federal laws in some way.

Besides, even before being invaded by Europeans, there were thousands of languages and dialects in the Americas. There are still over 500 from the indigenous people alone, besides those who speak both English and another language such as Spanish, or a learned or inherited language, like German. And yes, Spanish was a language known in the Americas more widely than English before such speakers arrived.

People like you and @berlin fuer alles play to each other and basically pat each other on the back although times like these, you are spouting incorrect information as if it were fact. Besides which, if you want to reference the US when speaking of immigration? That is rather ironic considering there was a mass immigration of non-Americans who committed genocide on the indigenous populations in order to take over their lands. So...really, you don't want to go there as an example in the EU situation.

The EU is straining the breaking point by letting more countries into an already near floundering system that is garnering more frustration, angst, resentment and hatred among member "states" and especially certain demographic groups.

An influx of new people, new ideas, and new cultures is exactly what Germany needs.

And economically, this movement of people is also what is supposed to happen in a free and common market. You can't claim to be for more European integration and mutual tolerance, and at the same time expect people to stay neatly separated into their national boundaries.

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